Money saving (Flights) workshop

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Cloverlady

Thanks this is all great!
We can't go earlier because of exams, and although we are tied that way (exam schedule) we cannot go in school holidays due to hubby's work and annual leave schedule sadly.

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OK but you have a year, the route was available through that Norwegian.no starting and everyone having a price war, if you played the long game you would have got all 4 of you there and back for a little over 300 each with lets say 100 to position to be extreme

This is where the long haul comes in, you need to be checking this at least every other day, sign up to all the airlines newsletters so you get notified when the sales are on, and think of specialised sites of consumers who spend dangerously high amounts of time on this topic

[Guest]

Originally Posted by THOR1

Great Thread

Message is exactly correct its a hassle v cost argument with various jumping off points along the way when your hassle limit is reached.

We have always found Thursdays a good day to travel with the added benefit that on return you have Friday - Sunday to get ready for work.

We have gone every conceivable UK route from Scotland and once via Iceland.

Paying as little as £200 and £600 this year EDI - Chicago - MCO in Mid June for 3 weeks.

It takes a little work and the capacity to accept at least on a theoretic level, as touch wood we have never had problems, that it might not go exactly according to plan.

The difference is that shaving the flight costs enables us to take summer holidays to Florida every year as opposed to full cost flights which would restrict us.

Now that our children are post school we will in all likelihood look at different times and to be honest the thought of tagging on a day at either end for a European based departure if the price is right is certainly worth considering.

More power to you!

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Things going awry is part of the risk assessment, personally I am happy to take massive risks if travelling myself but less if on a family holiday, I enjoy testing my resourcefulness but respect that isn't everyone's idea of fun, just think of it like you say, you lose a day, worse things happen at sea, airlines are by and large very helpful and accommodating if you are polite to them.

So as you mention build in failsafes like arriving the night before, or day before and go explore the town you are positioning to.

We went to Warsaw and the Uprising Museum was one of the highlights of the holiday, truly amazing, and when we left the house we had no plan to go there, it was a pamphlet in the hotel.

[Bellasmummy]

Subscribing

Loving this thread!

Here's one for you:

2ad 1ch
Leaving on or after 23rd July 2015
Returning by 31st August 2015
No more than 1 stop in the States (the whole Amsterdam scenario is a step to far for me)
Looking to stay for three weeks.

The difficult bit for us will be the we hope to do a week cruise out of either Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral at the end so will end up restricting ourselves with their dates a bit. Although we are flexible on the total duration.

Next year will be our first DIY booking and first trip where we're tied to school holidays.

Any ideas on where I start with this and possible flight prices would be great.

I'm happy finding the best deals on accommodation, car hire etc but and totally lost with the whole flight thing.

[Cloverlady]

Originally Posted by drspear

OK but you have a year, the route was available through that Norwegian.no starting and everyone having a price war, if you played the long game you would have got all 4 of you there and back for a little over 300 each with lets say 100 to position to be extreme

This is where the long haul comes in, you need to be checking this at least every other day, sign up to all the airlines newsletters so you get notified when the sales are on, and think of specialised sites of consumers who spend dangerously high amounts of time on this topic

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cheers! Great info - will follow your advice!

[katie]

This is a great thread. I hope that it's given hope to people who are on a strict holiday budget that they can find a holiday they can afford. Well done to the OP.

Katie

[fruitbat18]

This is a great thread, thank you for all the information it is brilliant. For the first time we are going to be flexible on dates for a trip early September, can fly any time from start of August but obviously want to avoid holidays. We usually go direct Manchester to Sanford or International but willing to try indirect for a saving. Can you advise the best sites to look at to find the cheapest - or is it a case of plugging the dates into the different airline websites and experimenting with different airports. I have been looking at Sky Scanner but I don't think I am getting the best out of it, I know I am very early for looking at a lastminute flight but I am trying to make sure I cover everything with my flight booking strategy. I am ok with the accommodation as we always do that DIY and no problem doing that last minute. Just want to get the flights strategy sorted and know the sites to go on etc

Thanks again op

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Bellasmummy

Subscribing

Loving this thread!

Here's one for you:

2ad 1ch
Leaving on or after 23rd July 2015
Returning by 31st August 2015
No more than 1 stop in the States (the whole Amsterdam scenario is a step to far for me)
Looking to stay for three weeks.

The difficult bit for us will be the we hope to do a week cruise out of either Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral at the end so will end up restricting ourselves with their dates a bit. Although we are flexible on the total duration.

Next year will be our first DIY booking and first trip where we're tied to school holidays.

Any ideas on where I start with this and possible flight prices would be great.

I'm happy finding the best deals on accommodation, car hire etc but and totally lost with the whole flight thing.

See more...

yeh so you are in a good place then.

You know your rough dates, so that's quite a bit ahead of most people, but you are 14 months out so you are too early, the time to start to look is 11 months out, that's when the scheduled flights open for booking. You also know your hassle factors you will and wont have so again that's a long way ahead of most.

Sure if you are desperate to book it today of course a travel agent will gladly take a guess it will be 700 return, add his 500, charge you 1200 and cream in the difference, but I would say you wait until at least 11 months out.

Start off with getting flights for the cheapest dates, if you are taking a cruise you might be a bit restricted on your dates.

Would do you no harm to do a dummy run as if the dates you were going were same but 2014, that will give you an idea of what you will pay if you leave it to 2 months before.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by fruitbat18

This is a great thread, thank you for all the information it is brilliant. For the first time we are going to be flexible on dates for a trip early September, can fly any time from start of August but obviously want to avoid holidays. We usually go direct Manchester to Sanford or International but willing to try indirect for a saving. Can you advise the best sites to look at to find the cheapest - or is it a case of plugging the dates into the different airline websites and experimenting with different airports. I have been looking at Sky Scanner but I don't think I am getting the best out of it, I know I am very early for looking at a lastminute flight but I am trying to make sure I cover everything with my flight booking strategy. I am ok with the accommodation as we always do that DIY and no problem doing that last minute. Just want to get the flights strategy sorted and know the sites to go on etc

Thanks again op

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OK so only info I would also need is the size of your party eg 2 adults, 2 adults 1 ch, stating if over 12 yrs old ( the prices vary at that mark )

Starting point is the flights, remember London is the hub, and treat your connection there separate, virgin train couple of hours 20 quid.
You can try Glasgow as well if after August 19 departing since schools back in Scotland then
build your hotels around that
park tickets next

[abiknox]

Amazing!

[orlando10]

Hi great post with fab advice. I have used the advice given here most times in booking our flights etc and have ended up with some great prices even over school holidays easter and halloween, not sure if I'm allowed to post the website (pls remove if links not allowed) but I use momondo to compare and you can play around with dates, airports etc. Also was told that most carriers update their websites on a Tuesday night around midnight so any cheap seat prices go back on then, I have tried it when booking our aer lingus flights and they went from over £1000 per person to £530 for direct flight. I have never paid anymore than £420 for indirect from dublin.